Bunzaburo Yoshida

Japanese: 吉田文三郎 - よしだぶんざぶろう

Puppeteer.

[Shoichi Yamada]

First World

(?-1760). His childhood name was Yanosuke. He was the son of Yoshida Saburobei, a master puppeteer around the time the Takemotoza was founded. He had puppets from an early age and his talent was recognized. He made his debut in 1717 (Kyoho 2) in the Keikinsha production of "Kokusenya Gonichi no Kassen" and was praised for being "just like his father's son." From the 1710s onwards, he became the head puppeteer of the Takemotoza puppetry troupe, and while he showed excellent performances as both a leading actor and a female actor, he also made many efforts to improve the puppets, and made a great contribution to the perfection of the three-person puppetry in "Ashiya Doman Ouchi Kagami" in 1734 (Kyoho 19). In 1848 (Kan'en 1), at the premiere of "Kanadehon Chushingura," he clashed with Monshita Takemoto Konotayu, and Konotayu and others left the Takemotoza to move to the Toyotakeza, resulting in a Tozai Tayu replacement incident. In 1859 (Horeki 9), Bunzaburo also left the Takemotoza and went to Kyoto, where he died the following year. He was also active as a playwright under the name Yoshida Kanshi, but all of his works were collaborations, and many of them were revised or expanded to create highlights for the puppets.

[Shoichi Yamada]

II

(1732-90) The biological son of the first. Born in Osaka. Childhood name Yataro. After going through the name Bungo to the name Saburobei II, he took the name of the second in 1761 (11th year of the Horeki era). He was said to be a master no less than his father. His author name was Yoshida Kanshi II.

[Shoichi Yamada]

III

(?-1829) A disciple of the second, his original name was Senshi. In 1821 (Bunsei 4), he took on the name of the third. He was known as a master with a wide range of skills.

[Shoichi Yamada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

人形遣い。

［山田庄一］

初世

（？―1760）幼名八之助。竹本座創設ごろの立役(たちやく)遣いの名手吉田三郎兵衛の子。幼時から人形をもち才能を認められた。1717年（享保2）『国性爺後日合戦(こくせんやごにちのかっせん)』の経錦舎(けいきんしゃ)で初舞台、「さすがに父の子」との評をとった。享保(きょうほう)10年代以後は竹本座人形の座頭(ざがしら)格となり、立役、女方を兼ね優れた演技をみせるとともに、人形の改良にもくふうを重ね、34年（享保19）『芦屋道満大内鑑(あしやどうまんおおうちかがみ)』における3人遣いの完成に大きな貢献をした。48年（寛延1）『仮名手本忠臣蔵(かなでほんちゅうしんぐら)』初演に際し紋下(もんした)の竹本此太夫(このたゆう)と激突、此太夫以下が竹本座を去って豊竹(とよたけ)座に移るという東西太夫の入れ替え事件となった。59年（宝暦9）文三郎も竹本座を脱退、京に上ったが翌年没した。彼はまた吉田冠子(かんし)の名で作者としても活躍したが、すべて合作であり、人形の見せ場をつくる改作や増補が多い。

［山田庄一］